Martin Scorsese (song)
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| “Martin Scorsese” | |||||
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| Single by King Missile from the album Happy Hour |
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| Released | 1993 | ||||
| Genre | Avant-garde | ||||
| Length | 1:57 | ||||
| Label | Atlantic Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | John S. Hall, Roger Murdock, Dave Rick, Chris Xefos | ||||
| Producer | Kramer, Steve Watson, King Missile | ||||
| King Missile singles chronology | |||||
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"Martin Scorsese" is a song by avant-garde band King Missile. It was the third and final single from the band's 1992 album Happy Hour.
Contents |
[edit] Content
[edit] Album version
In "Martin Scorsese," frontman John S. Hall, backed by a frenetic rhythm section and ominous keyboard stabs, assumes the persona of a crazed Martin Scorsese obsessive who wishes to express his appreciation of the director's work by savagely assaulting him. Hall screams the lyrics, including such sentiments as:
| “ | ...I'd pick him up by the hair Swing him over my head a few times And throw him across the room And kick all his fucking teeth in And then stomp on his face Forty or fifty times 'Cause he makes the best fucking films He makes the best fucking films I've ever seen In my life I fucking love him I fucking love him[1] |
” |
[edit] "Clean" version
A "clean" version of the song, dubbed "Martin Scorsese (PG-13)," was made for radio and video play. In the "PG-13" version, Hall omits the original's thirteen instances of the expletive fuck but does not edit the original's hyperbolically violent content. This version is available on the Happy 14½ EP.
[edit] Music video
The video for "Martin Scorsese (PG-13)" was directed by George Seminara,[2] and shot exclusively in black-and-white. In the video, Hall, dressed like a prototypical Scorsese criminal character, frantically yells the lyrics into a microphone while the other band members sit or stand at their instruments but do not play them. Throughout the video, photographs of Scorsese and ransom note-style titles of his films appear.[3]
The video was repeatedly aired on the television series Beavis and Butt-head.[2]
[edit] Interpretations
"Martin Scorsese" has been subject to a wide array of interpretations. Some people think that Hall is paying tribute to Scorsese by using the copious violence and profanity that are trademarks of the director. Others take Hall's use of these tools as a statement that Scorsese lacks creativity. Still others see the song as a message that exposure to profuse violence and profanity in films such as Scorsese's may lead viewers to become violent and profane themselves.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Lyrics: Martin Scorsese. Farmboy's King Missile. Retrieved on 2008-05-29.
- ^ a b Videography. Laundry Lists of Nonsense. Retrieved on 2008-05-29.
- ^ Video: Martin Scorsese (PG-13). YouTube (2006-11-12). Retrieved on 2008-05-29.
- ^ Interpretations: Martin Scorsese. Farmboy's King Missile. Retrieved on 2008-05-29.
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